Humanities Learning and Cultural Immersion to Taiwan
Humanities Learning and Cultural Immersion to Taiwan 2019
On 19 to 24 November 2019, 29 students and 4 teachers went for an overseas learning journey to Taiwan for cultural immersion and geographical fieldwork. The group went to various places in Taipei, Taichung and Nantou that showcase Taiwan’s culture and heritage. They also learnt more about physical and human features and phenomena related to the Geography syllabus and engaged in geographical investigation.
Some highlights of the trip include a school visit to Hui Wen Senior High School to learn about Taiwan’s Geography curriculum and school life, a visit to the 921 Earthquake Museum to learn more about earthquake responses and preparedness measures, and a tour of Cingjing Farm to learn more about ecotourism and how it encourages the conservation of the natural environment and the preservation of local cultures.
The students who went on the trip had these to say regarding the experience:
"We were able to see in real life what we learnt about in our textbooks. The 921 Earthquake Museum helped me understand the extent of damage an earthquake can bring, and made me more grateful for life in Singapore as we do not experience such serious natural disasters. I was also able to experience school life in another country through a school visit to Hui Wen Senior High School. On this 6 days 5 nights trip, I developed stronger bonds with my peers while we experienced new things together like making bubble tea and experiencing a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in a simulator. Life in Taiwan is definitely different from life in Singapore, and being able to experience a part of it was extremely interesting.” – Cheryl Soh Yu Tong (303A, 2019)
"The Taiwan trip was definitely memorable as I encountered things which I could not do or experience in Singapore. We visited the Gold Ecological Park where we did a gold mining activity. We also went to view a dormant volcano called Xiaoyoukeng located in Yangmingshan National Park. Although the visibility was low due to fog, it was still an enjoyable experience. The trip helped me better understand Taiwan’s geography, history and culture. I also developed stronger friendships with peers who went on the trip.” – Dian Natasha Binte Abd Yajid (305A, 2019)
"The most important lessons I learnt during the trip were about the culture and history of Taiwan. The educational films that our guide, Jerry, showed us during the long bus rides shed light on how Taiwan changed over the years. We learnt about The Mushe Incident (Wushe Rebellion) and how the Taiwanese were affected by the Japanese occupation of Taiwan. Jerry also knew a lot about art and showed us interesting pieces at the National Palace Museum of Taiwan.” – Ryan Teo Wei Hong (302, 2019)
"The trip to Taiwan offered many learning opportunities. I especially enjoyed our visit to Jiufen and learning about the history of the place. Our guide said that in the past, all the best products were sold at Jiufen, not the capital Taipei, because the gold miners at Jiufen had a lot of money and could afford the finer things in life. I also enjoyed the boat tour around Sun Moon Lake. I learnt about how it was named and how it was formed by an earthquake many years ago.” – Ryan Ng Yong Xiang (305A, 2019)